Memoirs of British officer launched
(From left) Former bureaucrat Sultanuzzaman Khan, ex-minister Mizanur Rahman Shelley, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Stephen Evans and Economic Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister Mashiur Rahman pose for a photograph with the book "The Last Guardian: Memories of Stephen Hatch-Barnwell, ICS of Bengal" during its launch at Dhaka Club yesterday.Photo: STAR
Autobiography of a British officer, "The Last Guardian: Memories of Stephen Hatch-Barnwell, ICS of Bengal", was launched at Dhaka Club yesterday. British High Commissioner Stephen Evans unveiled the cover of the book published by the University Press Ltd (UPL). Khalid Shams wrote the foreword. Dhaka Club Ltd organised the book launching ceremony as part of the club's 100th year celebration. Speakers at the launch said that despite being a British, Hatch-Barnwell spent his whole career in the Bengal and closely witnessed the India-Pakistan partition and the political polarisation in the region. Hatch-Barnwell served as a British officer of Indian Civil Service (ICS) from 1933-1947 in the Bengal and from 1949-1966 in the then East Pakistan (today's Bangladesh). His workplaces include Dinajpur, Chittagong, Barisal, and Comilla. Foreword of the autobiography reads, "Memoirs of Stephen Hatch-Barnwell provide a vivid personal account...of the turbulent transition of government to the province of East Bengal in the newly independent Pakistan. He provides very candid, insider's perspectives ... of the government and administration of the colonial regime that was in a constant flux". "The book will be of immense interest to those who want to know about the tumultuous events during the partition of Bengal and thereafter." Former minister Dr Mizanur Rhaman Shelley presided over the book launch. Mashiur Rahman, an adviser to the prime minister; Sultanuzzaman Khan, a former bureaucrat who worked with Hatch-Barnwell; Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star; and Mohiuddin Ahmed, the publisher; also addressed the programme.
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